Thursday, July 25, 2013

So much to say....

Post stint removal update

The stint is now out and P is recovering. Spoke to Dr. Rutter today and he said that Preston has really given them a run for their money with all is interesting quirks post LTR. One of the issues discovered was that the stitch holding the stint in place was infected, so he has a little absence there. Dr. Rutter placed a drain tube to be double sure that any nasty fluid left the body. The posterior graft looks good but too much swelling to see the anterior graft, he will be on steroids, antibiotics, and acid reflux meds to help the swelling go down. There is also some granulation tissue, fancy name for scarring, around the stint site just below the vocal cords. This is to be expected.

I have to take a minute and explain Dr. Rutter a bit. He is Norwegian. Although, upon appearance he looks Asian, so I would guess he maybe more what we call Inuit. Upon first glance you see Asian though and expect that sort accent, to be blindsided with this very European English. Everything he says sounds different and much smarter due to it, even his jokes. He made one on the way out of the consult room.

Anyways, the one antibiotic P was on can cause a drop in white blood cell count, which Dr. Rutter has not seen in 8 years. He had not experienced it with one of his patients, it was someone else's, but he had not forgotten it though.

Overall, we are still on track for scope Monday and departure on Tuesday! Below are some pics from the day. The little white thing is the stint that was in Preston's airway. I am geeking that we got it. Dr. Rutter said, as he left holding up the specimen cup it was, "Of all the things I have designed, it is the most phallic looking thing." His nurse smacked him with her OR hat. He laughed.

The stint is in the middle the object on the right is a sunflower seed.

Now that that is over with, we move to the rest of the day. P ate about half a yogurt and took some sips on thickened milk. He slept, pooped, and overall was in a great mood. Later I found out that the drain in his neck is called a rubber band drain, and it is a rubber band. The sort of rubber band you may find at Tierney office products, KC's oldest independent office supplier. (FREE ADVERTISING) I found this amusing.

On the other end of I-70, mommy and son were reunited. Reid and Lorna are back together and I am sure it was emotional. I have some pics too. His bed head still has not changed, good to know. He is upping his game as you see him in the car with the ladies. That pic was taken while we were both still in cincy. P will have some catching up to do, although he has the nursing staff here wrapped around his finger. He even gets ALL 9 people at rounds dancing or clapping. Lorna and Reid will play and go to the pool, pending the weather.